AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND - FOOTBALL, HORSES, TRAINS

Many events over this busy weekend which is of course the August Bank Holiday too which sees a host of Football, Horse Racing and Heritage Railway events too. 

This Saturday while AFC Wimbledon are at home to Sunderland looking for another win League One this season I will be out attending an Open Day at Hillingdon Railway Modellers. Sadly the Dons throw away an early lead and lost 1-2 a game of wasted chances and a few blind decisions by the referee.

Always a good day out for me as I get to take a few of my late fathers trains to give them a good run, he built plenty of O Gauge models and although I only have a small number of them left I can only display a few at home.

The important thing is to be able to get them out of their storage boxes and go give them a run now and then as well as meeting the other members and seeing their models too. 

Does remind me of my Dad, and I still feel he's with me while I am still able to participate in this club and support their excellent work. Miss you Dad. x

That should keep me busy and out of mischief for Saturday, for me Sunday is usually a day of rest as intended, I would on most weeks be preparing myself for another exciting week ahead of work but of course we have the luxury of Monday being a Bank Holiday but it is tempered in the knowledge that my bosses will be leaving the company at the end of the week and I will miss them and their support when they are gone, I need to get going too but that is slow progress so far. 

Bank Holiday Monday the plan is to head out towards Crystal Palace and see if the Dinosaurs are still there in the park near the station, if nothing else it's a ride out and should keep me out of trouble for a few hours. When I return it's an afternoon of horse racing on the flat at the likes of Chepstow, Epsom Downs, Southwell and Ripon as well as National Hunt action over the obstacles at Cartmel in the lake district. The latter always being a very popular meeting over the holiday, although it's not the easiest of courses to get to and good luck if you travelling anywhere this weekend with rail strikes a plenty along with the closure of EUSTON station for HS2 work. 

Quickly putting up a selections taken from the main race (based on prize money) one from each of the following meetings on Bank Holiday Monday;

CARTMEL
3m 1f+ Handicap Hurdle (5:00) -- WILLIAM OF ORANGE 

CHEPSTOW
2m Sir Gordon Richards Handicap (5:30) -- ELYSEES

EPSOM DOWNS
5f Handicap (3:05) -- BOOM THE GROOM

RIPON
Ripon Champion 2yo's Trophy (4:00) -- KESSAAR

SOUTHWELL

5f Handicap (3:35) -- EXCESSABLE

That leaves me with an additional day off to enjoy on Tuesday, the aim being a day out on the Mid Hants Railway based in Alton. Will be an early start ... have a wonderful Bank Holiday weekend yourselves.